Begonia hybrid 1600-08t1

ABSTRACT

A hybrid begonia, designated 1600-08T1, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of hybrid begonia 1600-08T1, to the plants of hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 and to methods for producing a begonia plant by crossing the cultivar 1600-08T1 with itself or another begonia. The invention further relates to methods for producing a begonia plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic begonia plants and plant parts produced by those methods and to methods for producing other hybrid begonia derived from hybrid begonia 1600-08T1.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new begonia interspecific hybrid (Begonia×benariensis) designated 1600-08T1. All publications cited in this application are herein incorporated by reference.

There are numerous steps in the development of any novel, desirable plant germplasm. Plant breeding begins with the analysis and definition of problems and weaknesses of the current germplasm, the establishment of program goals, and the definition of specific breeding objectives. The next step is selection of germplasm that possess the traits to meet the program goals. The goal is to combine in a single variety or hybrid an improved combination of desirable traits from the parental germplasm. These important traits may include higher seed yield, improved flower color, resistance to diseases and insects, tolerance to drought and heat, and better agronomic quality.

Begonia is a genus of perennial flowering plants that is native to moist subtropical and tropical climates and contains more than 1,600 species and hundreds of hybrids. Depending on the climate, some begonia are grown indoors as ornamental houseplants or are cultivated outside for their bright colorful flowers. Begonia plants have fleshy leaves and stems, and the leaves are often magnificently colored and textured. Cultivated begonia often have showy flowers of white, pink, scarlet or yellow color.

Begonia plants are monoecious, with unisexual male and female flowers occurring separately on the same plant; the male contains numerous stamens and the female has a large inferior ovary and two to four branched or twisted stigmas. In most begonia species, the fruit is a winged capsule containing numerous minute seeds. The leaves, which are often large and variously marked or variegated, are usually asymmetric.

The American Begonia Society classifies begonias into eight major groups including: cane-like, shrub, rhizomatous, semperflorens (wax type), tuberous, rex, trailing-scandent and thick stemmed. The begonia genus is unusual in that species throughout the genus, even those from different continents, can frequently be hybridized with each other, which has led to an enormous number of cultivars. Most begonias propagate easily by seed or from stem cuttings.

Therefore, it is desirable to develop new begonia hybrids with unique colors that reproduce true from seeds.

The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described in conjunction with systems, tools, and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above-described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other improvements.

The present invention relates to a hybrid begonia designated 1600-08T1, and seeds and plants derived from the hybrid. The invention also relates to hybrid plants and seeds and any further progeny or descendants of the hybrid derived by crossing hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 as a pollen donor. Thus, any methods using hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 in backcrosses, hybrid production, crosses to populations, and the like, are part of this invention. All plants which are a progeny of or descend from hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 are within the scope of this invention. It is an aspect of this invention for hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 to be used in crosses with other, different, begonia plants to produce begonia hybrid seeds and plants with superior characteristics.

In another aspect, the present invention provides for single gene or multiple gene converted plants of the parents of hybrid begonia 1600-08T1. The single or multiple transferred gene(s) may preferably be a dominant or recessive allele. Preferably, the single or multiple transferred gene(s) will confer such traits as herbicide resistance, insect resistance, resistance to bacterial, fungal, or viral diseases, male fertility, male sterility, enhanced nutritional quality, and industrial usage. The single or multiple gene(s) may be a naturally occurring begonia gene or a transgene introduced through genetic engineering techniques.

In another aspect, the present invention provides regenerable cells for use in tissue culture of hybrid begonia plant 1600-08T1. The tissue culture will preferably be capable of regenerating plants having the physiological and morphological characteristics of the foregoing begonia plant, and of regenerating plants having substantially the same genotype as the foregoing begonia plant. Genetic variants of hybrid begonia plant 1600-08T1 naturally generated through the use of tissue culture or artificially induced utilizing mutagenic agents during tissue culture are aspects of the present invention. Preferably, the regenerable cells in such tissue cultures will be embryos, protoplasts, meristematic cells, callus, pollen, cotyledon, leaves, flowers, anthers, roots, pistils, root tips, glumes, seeds, panicles or stems. Still further, the present invention provides begonia plants regenerated from the tissue cultures of the invention.

In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference by study of the following descriptions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the description and tables which follow, a number of terms are used. In order to provide a clear and consistent understanding of the specification and claims, including the scope to be given such terms, the following definitions are provided:

Abiotic stress. As used herein, abiotic stress relates to all non-living chemical and physical factors in the environment. Examples of abiotic stress include, but are not limited to, drought, flooding, salinity, temperature, and climate change.

Allele. The allele is any of one or more alternative forms of a gene, all of which relate to one trait or characteristic. In a diploid cell or organism, the two alleles of a given gene occupy corresponding loci on a pair of homologous chromosomes.

Backcrossing. Backcrossing is a process in which a breeder repeatedly crosses hybrid progeny back to one of the parents, for example, a first generation hybrid F₁ with one of the parental genotype of the F₁ hybrid.

Cell. Cell as used herein includes a plant cell, whether isolated, in tissue culture or incorporated in a plant or plant part.

Cotyledon. One of the first leaves of the embryo of a seed plant; typically one or more in monocotyledons, two in dicotyledons, and two or more in gymnosperms.

Essentially all the physiological and morphological characteristics. A plant having essentially all the physiological and morphological characteristics means a plant having the physiological and morphological characteristics of the recurrent parent, except for the characteristics derived from the converted gene.

F_(#). The “F” symbol denotes the filial generation, and the # is the generation number, such as F₁, F₂, F₃, etc.

Gene. As used herein, “gene” refers to a segment of nucleic acid. A gene can be introduced into a genome of a species, whether from a different species or from the same species, using transformation or various breeding methods.

Genetically Modified. Describes an organism that has received genetic material from another, or had its genetic material modified, resulting in a change in one or more of its phenotypic characteristics. Methods used to modify, introduce or delete the genetic material may include mutation breeding, backcross conversion, genetic transformation, single and multiple gene conversion, and/or direct gene transfer.

Genotype. Refers to the genetic constitution of a cell or organism.

Length/Width (L/W) Ratio. This ratio is determined by dividing the average length (L) by the average width (W).

Linkage. Refers to a phenomenon wherein alleles on the same chromosome tend to segregate together more often than expected by chance if their transmission was independent.

Linkage Disequilibrium. Refers to a phenomenon wherein alleles tend to remain together in linkage groups when segregating from parents to offspring, with a greater frequency than expected from their individual frequencies.

Locus. A locus confers one or more traits such as, for example, male sterility, herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, disease resistance, waxy starch, modified fatty acid metabolism, modified phytic acid metabolism, modified carbohydrate metabolism and modified protein metabolism. The trait may be, for example, conferred by a naturally occurring gene introduced into the genome of the variety by backcrossing, a natural or induced mutation, or a transgene introduced through genetic transformation techniques. A locus may comprise one or more alleles integrated at a single chromosomal location.

Multiple Gene Converted (Conversion). Multiple gene converted (conversion) includes plants developed by a plant breeding technique called backcrossing wherein essentially all of the desired morphological and physiological characteristics of an inbred are recovered, while retaining two or more genes transferred into the inbred via crossing and backcrossing. The term can also refer to the introduction of multiple genes through genetic engineering techniques known in the art.

Percent Identity. Percent identity as used herein refers to the comparison of the homozygous alleles of two begonia varieties. Percent identity is determined by comparing a statistically significant number of the homozygous alleles of two developed varieties. For example, a percent identity of 90% between begonia variety 1 and begonia variety 2 means that the two varieties have the same allele at 90% of their loci.

Percent Similarity. Percent similarity as used herein refers to the comparison of the homozygous alleles of a begonia variety with another begonia plant, and if the homozygous allele of both begonia plants matches at least one of the alleles from the other plant then they are scored as similar. Percent similarity is determined by comparing a statistically significant number of loci and recording the number of loci with similar alleles as a percentage. A percent similarity of 90% between the begonia plant of this invention and another plant means that the begonia plant of this invention matches at least one of the alleles of the other begonia plant at 90% of the loci.

Plant. As used herein, the term “plant” includes reference to an immature or mature whole plant, including a plant from which seed or grain or anthers have been removed. Seed or embryo that will produce the plant is also considered to be the plant.

Plant Height. Plant height in centimeters is taken from soil surface to the tip at harvest.

Plant Parts. As used herein, the term “plant parts” (or a part thereof) includes but is not limited to protoplasts, leaves, stems, roots, root tips, anthers, pistils, seed, embryo, pollen, ovules, cotyledon, hypocotyl, pod, flower, shoot, tissue, petiole, cells, meristematic cells, and the like.

Pubescence. This refers to a covering of very fine hairs closely arranged on the leaves, stems and glumes of the plant.

Quantitative Trait Loci. Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) refers to genetic loci that control to some degree, numerically representable traits that are usually continuously distributed.

Regeneration. Regeneration refers to the development of a plant from tissue culture.

RHS. RHS refers to the Royal Horticultural Society of England which publishes an official botanical color chart quantitatively identifying colors according to a defined numbering system. The chart may be purchased from Royal Horticulture Society Enterprise Ltd., RHS Garden; Wisley, Woking; Surrey GU236QB, UK.

Rogueing. Rogueing is the process in seed production where undesired plants are removed from a variety. The plants are removed since they differ physically from the general desired expressed characteristics of the variety. The differences can be related to size, color, maturity, leaf texture, leaf margins, growth habit, or any other characteristic that distinguishes the plant.

Single gene converted. Single gene converted or conversion plant refers to plants which are developed by a plant breeding technique called backcrossing or via genetic engineering wherein essentially all of the desired morphological and physiological characteristics of a line are recovered in addition to the single gene transferred into the line via the backcrossing technique or via genetic engineering.

Transgene. A genetic sequence which has been introduced into the nuclear or chloroplast genome of a begonia plant by a genetic transformation technique.

The present invention of begonia hybrid 1600-08T1 is a unique interspecific hybrid having a new color in Begonia×benariensis that reproduces true from seeds. Begonia hybrid 1600-08T1 has an extraordinary outdoor performance and it flowers in both full sun and in shade. Begonia 1600-08T1 continues flowering on hot and dry conditions and in hot and humid conditions, and is an outstanding late season performer.

The hybrid has shown uniformity and stability, as described in the following description information. It has been produced and tested a sufficient number of years with careful attention to uniformity of plant type. Begonia hybrid 1600-08T1 has been produced with continued observation for uniformity of the parent lines.

Hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 has the following morphological and physiological characteristics (based primarily on data collected in Germany).

TABLE 1 VARIETY DESCRIPTION INFORMATION Classification: Family: Begoniaceae Botanical name: Begonia x benariensis Common name: BIG Begonia Plant: Propagation type: Seeds Form: Annual Growth habit: Upright Branching habit: Basal Height: 75.0 cm Width: 40.0 cm Time to initiate roots: During germination Root description: Fibrous Lateral branches: Length: 50.0 cm Diameter: 1.0 cm to 1.5 cm Angle: 45° Texture: Like main branches, smooth Color: RHS 146B and 46A depending on light intensity Leaves: Arrangement: Alternate Length: 10.0 cm Width: 8.0 cm Shape: Stalked, asymmetrical Apex: Pointed Base: Heart-shaped Margin: Slightly dentate Color: Upper surface: RHS 139A with margin in 46A Lower surface: RHS 139B with parts in 46A depending on light intensity Texture (Both upper and lower surfaces): Smooth Venation pattern: Reticulate Venation color: RHS 153A and 46A depending on light intensity Glossiness: Medium Petioles: Length: 2.0 cm Width: 6.0 mm Color (Both upper and lower surfaces): RHS 139A and 46A Texture (Both upper and lower surfaces): Smooth Pubescence color: RHS 139A Anthocyanin: RHS 46A depending on light intensity Flower buds: Length: 2.5 cm Diameter: 3.0 cm Shape: Heart-shaped without apex Color: RHS 50A Flower: Blooming habit: Dichasium Flower form: Zygomorphic flower Color: Upper surface: RHS 55A Lower surface: RHS 55A and 50A, depending on light intensity Fragrance: Absent Inflorescence height: 12.0 cm Inflorescence diameter: 12.0 cm Flower diameter: Female flower: 5.5 cm Male flower: 5.0 cm Flower height: Female flower: 5.5 cm Male flower: 7.0 cm Pedicels: Length: 2.0 cm Diameter: 2.0 mm Angle: 30° Texture: Smooth Color: RHS 54A and 54B Peduncles: Length: 6.0 cm Diameter: 3.0 mm Angle: 30° Texture: Smooth Color: RHS 46A Reproductive organs: Stamens: Many Filament color: RHS 7A Pollen: Sparse Pistil: Curled Stigma number: 6 Style color: RHS 7A Ovary: Three-winged with colors RHS 47A and 155B Fruit and Seed set: Very little seed set Disease and insect resistance: Not observed

This invention is also directed to methods for producing a begonia plant by crossing a first parent begonia plant with a second parent begonia plant, wherein the first parent begonia plant or second parent begonia plant is hybrid begonia 1600-08T1. Further, both the first parent begonia plant and second parent begonia plant may be from hybrid begonia 1600-08T1. Therefore, any methods using hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 are part of this invention: selfing, backcrosses, hybrid breeding, and crosses to populations. Any plants produced using hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 as at least one parent are within the scope of this invention.

Still further, this invention also is directed to methods for producing a hybrid begonia 1600-08T1-derived begonia plant by crossing hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 with a second begonia plant and growing the progeny seed, and repeating the crossing and growing steps with hybrid begonia 1600-08T1-derived plant from 0 to 7 times. Thus, any such methods using the hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 are part of this invention: selfing, backcrosses, hybrid production, crosses to populations, and the like. All plants produced using hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 as a parent are within the scope of this invention, including plants derived from hybrid begonia 1600-08T1.

FURTHER EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Begonia is an important and valuable flowering plant. Thus, a continuing goal of begonia plant breeders is to develop stable, attractive hybrid begonias that are agronomically sound. To accomplish this goal, the begonia breeder must select and develop begonia plants with traits that result in superior cultivars.

Proper testing should detect any major faults and establish the level of superiority or improvement over current cultivars. In addition to showing superior performance, there must be a demand for a new cultivar that is compatible with industry standards or which creates a new market. The introduction of a new cultivar will incur additional costs to the seed producer, the grower, processor and consumer for special advertising and marketing, altered seed and commercial production practices, and new product utilization. The testing preceding release of a new cultivar should take into consideration research and development costs, as well as technical superiority of the final cultivar. For seed-propagated cultivars, it must be feasible to produce seed easily and economically.

Choice of breeding or selection methods depends on the mode of plant reproduction, the heritability of the trait(s) being improved, and the type of cultivar used commercially (e.g., F₁ hybrid cultivar, pureline cultivar, etc.). For highly heritable traits, a choice of superior individual plants evaluated at a single location will be effective, whereas for traits with low heritability, selection should be based on mean values obtained from replicated evaluations of families of related plants. Popular selection methods commonly include pedigree selection, modified pedigree selection, mass selection, and recurrent selection.

The complexity of inheritance influences choice of the breeding method. Backcross breeding is used to transfer one or a few favorable genes for a highly heritable trait into a desirable cultivar. This approach has been used extensively for breeding disease-resistant cultivars. Various recurrent selection techniques are used to improve quantitatively inherited traits controlled by numerous genes. The use of recurrent selection in self-pollinating crops depends on the ease of pollination, the frequency of successful hybrids from each pollination, and the number of hybrid offspring from each successful cross.

Each breeding program should include a periodic, objective evaluation of the efficiency of the breeding procedure. Evaluation criteria vary depending on the goal and objectives, but should include gain from selection per year based on comparisons to an appropriate standard, the overall value of the advanced breeding lines, and the number of successful cultivars produced per unit of input (e.g., per year, per dollar expended, etc.).

Promising advanced breeding lines are thoroughly tested and compared to appropriate standards in environments representative of the commercial target area(s) for at least three years. The best lines are candidates for new commercial cultivars. Those still deficient in a few traits are used as parents to produce new populations for further selection.

These processes, which lead to the final step of marketing and distribution, usually take from ten to twenty years from the time the first cross or selection is made. Therefore, development of new cultivars is a time-consuming process that requires precise forward planning, efficient use of resources, and a minimum of changes in direction.

A most difficult task is the identification of individuals that are genetically superior, because for most traits the true genotypic value is masked by other confounding plant traits or environmental factors. One method of identifying a superior plant is to observe its performance relative to other experimental plants and to a widely grown standard cultivar. If a single observation is inconclusive, replicated observations provide a better estimate of its genetic worth.

The goal of begonia plant breeding is to develop new, unique, and superior hybrid begonias. The breeder initially selects and crosses two or more parental lines, followed by repeated selfing and selection, producing many new genetic combinations. The breeder can theoretically generate billions of different genetic combinations via crossing, selfing, and mutations. The breeder has no direct control at the cellular level. Therefore, two breeders will never develop the same line, or even very similar lines, having the same begonia traits.

Each year, the plant breeder selects the germplasm to advance to the next generation. This germplasm is grown under different geographical, climatic, and soil conditions, and further selections are then made during, and at the end of, the growing season. The cultivars that are developed are unpredictable. This unpredictability is because the breeder's selection occurs in unique environments, with no control at the DNA level (using conventional breeding procedures), and with millions of different possible genetic combinations being generated. A breeder of ordinary skill in the art cannot predict the final resulting lines he develops, except possibly in a very gross and general fashion. The same breeder cannot produce the same line twice by using the exact same original parents and the same selection techniques. This unpredictability results in the expenditure of large research monies to develop superior hybrid begonias.

The development of commercial hybrid begonias requires the development of begonia varieties, the crossing of these varieties, and the evaluation of the crosses. Pedigree breeding and recurrent selection breeding methods are used to develop cultivars from breeding populations. Breeding programs combine desirable traits from two or more varieties or various broad-based sources into breeding pools from which cultivars are developed by selfing and selection of desired phenotypes. The new cultivars are crossed with other varieties and the hybrids from these crosses are evaluated to determine which have commercial potential.

Pedigree breeding is used commonly for the improvement of self-pollinating crops or inbred lines of cross-pollinating crops. Two parents which possess favorable, complementary traits are crossed to produce an F₁. An F₂ population is produced by selfing one or several F₁'s or by intercrossing two F₁'s (sib mating). Selection of the best individuals is usually begun in the F₂ population. Then, beginning in the F₃, the best individuals in the best families are selected. Replicated testing of families, or hybrid combinations involving individuals of these families, often follows in the F₄ generation to improve the effectiveness of selection for traits with low heritability. At an advanced stage of inbreeding (i.e., F₆ and F₇), the best lines or mixtures of phenotypically similar lines are tested for potential release as new cultivars.

Mass and recurrent selections can be used to improve populations of either self- or cross-pollinating crops. A genetically variable population of heterozygous individuals is either identified or created by intercrossing several different parents. The best plants are selected based on individual superiority, outstanding progeny, or excellent combining ability. The selected plants are intercrossed to produce a new population in which further cycles of selection are continued.

Backcross breeding has been used to transfer genes for a simply inherited, highly heritable trait into a desirable homozygous cultivar or line that is the recurrent parent. The source of the trait to be transferred is called the donor parent. The resulting plant is expected to have the attributes of the recurrent parent (e.g., cultivar) and the desirable trait transferred from the donor parent. After the initial cross, individuals possessing the phenotype of the donor parent are selected and repeatedly crossed (backcrossed) to the recurrent parent. The resulting plant is expected to have the attributes of the recurrent parent (e.g., cultivar) and the desirable trait transferred from the donor parent.

The single-seed descent procedure in the strict sense refers to planting a segregating population, harvesting a sample of one seed per plant, and using the one-seed sample to plant the next generation. When the population has been advanced from the F₂ to the desired level of inbreeding, the plants from which lines are derived will each trace to different F₂ individuals. The number of plants in a population declines with each generation due to failure of some seeds to germinate or some plants to produce at least one seed. As a result, not all of the F₂ plants originally sampled in the population will be represented by a progeny when generation advance is completed.

In addition to phenotypic observations, the genotype of a plant can also be examined. There are many laboratory-based techniques available for the analysis, comparison and characterization of plant genotype; among these are Isozyme Electrophoresis, Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLPs), Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs), Arbitrarily Primed Polymerase Chain Reaction (AP-PCR), DNA Amplification Fingerprinting (DAF), Sequence Characterized Amplified Regions (SCARs), Amplified Fragment Length polymorphisms (AFLPs), Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs—which are also referred to as Microsatellites), and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs).

Isozyme Electrophoresis and RFLPs have been widely used to determine genetic composition. Shoemaker and Olsen (Molecular Linkage Map of Soybean (Glycine max), pp. 6.131-6.138 in S. J. O'Brien (ed.) Genetic Maps: Locus Maps of Complex Genomes, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1993)) developed a molecular genetic linkage map that consisted of 25 linkage groups with about 365 RFLP, 11 RAPD, three classical markers, and four isozyme loci. See also, Shoemaker, R. C., RFLP Map of Soybean, pp. 299-309, in Phillips, R. L. and Vasil, I. K. (eds.), DNA-Based Markers in Plants, Kluwer Academic Press, Dordrecht, the Netherlands (1994).

SSR technology is currently the most efficient and practical marker technology; more marker loci can be routinely used and more alleles per marker locus can be found using SSRs in comparison to RFLPs. For example, Diwan and Cregan described a highly polymorphic microsatellite locus in soybean with as many as 26 alleles. Diwan, N. and Cregan, P. B., Theor. Appl. Genet., 95:22-225 (1997). SNPs may also be used to identify the unique genetic composition of the invention and progeny varieties retaining that unique genetic composition. Various molecular marker techniques may be used in combination to enhance overall resolution.

Molecular markers, which include markers identified through the use of techniques such as Isozyme Electrophoresis, RFLPs, RAPDs, AP-PCR, DAF, SCARs, AFLPs, SSRs, and SNPs, may be used in plant breeding. One use of molecular markers is Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) mapping. QTL mapping is the use of markers which are known to be closely linked to alleles that have measurable effects on a quantitative trait. Selection in the breeding process is based upon the accumulation of markers linked to the positive effecting alleles and/or the elimination of the markers linked to the negative effecting alleles from the plant's genome.

Molecular markers can also be used during the breeding process for the selection of qualitative traits. For example, markers closely linked to alleles or markers containing sequences within the actual alleles of interest can be used to select plants that contain the alleles of interest during a backcrossing breeding program. The markers can also be used to select toward the genome of the recurrent parent and against the markers of the donor parent. This procedure attempts to minimize the amount of genome from the donor parent that remains in the selected plants. It can also be used to reduce the number of crosses back to the recurrent parent needed in a backcrossing program. The use of molecular markers in the selection process is often called genetic marker enhanced selection or marker-assisted selection. Molecular markers may also be used to identify and exclude certain sources of germplasm as parental varieties or ancestors of a plant by providing a means of tracking genetic profiles through crosses.

Mutation breeding is another method of introducing new traits into begonia varieties. Mutations that occur spontaneously or are artificially induced can be useful sources of variability for a plant breeder. The goal of artificial mutagenesis is to increase the rate of mutation for a desired characteristic. Mutation rates can be increased by many different means including temperature, long-term seed storage, tissue culture conditions, radiation (such as X-rays, Gamma rays, neutrons, Beta radiation, or ultraviolet radiation), chemical mutagens (such as base analogs like 5-bromo-uracil), antibiotics, alkylating agents (such as sulfur mustards, nitrogen mustards, epoxides, ethyleneamines, sulfates, sulfonates, sulfones, or lactones), azide, hydroxylamine, nitrous acid, or acridines. Once a desired trait is observed through mutagenesis the trait may then be incorporated into existing germplasm by traditional breeding techniques. Details of mutation breeding can be found in Principles of Cultivar Development by Fehr, Macmillan Publishing Company (1993).

The production of double haploids can also be used for the development of homozygous varieties in a breeding program. Double haploids are produced by the doubling of a set of chromosomes from a heterozygous plant to produce a completely homozygous individual. For example, see Wan, et al., Theor. Appl. Genet., 77:889-892 (1989).

Descriptions of other breeding methods that are commonly used for different traits and crops can be found in one of several reference books (e.g., Principles of Plant Breeding, John Wiley and Son, pp. 115-161 (1960); Allard (1960); Simmonds (1979); Sneep, et al. (1979); Fehr (1987); “Carrots and Related Vegetable Umbelliferae,” Rubatzky, V. E., et al. (1999).

With the advent of molecular biological techniques that have allowed the isolation and characterization of genes that encode specific protein products, scientists in the field of plant biology developed a strong interest in engineering the genome of plants to contain and express foreign genes, or additional, or modified versions of native, or endogenous, genes (perhaps driven by different promoters) in order to alter the traits of a plant in a specific manner. Any DNA sequences, whether from a different species or from the same species, which are introduced into the genome using transformation or various breeding methods, are referred to herein collectively as “transgenes.” Over the last fifteen to twenty years, several methods for producing transgenic plants have been developed, and the present invention, in particular embodiments, also relates to transformed versions of the claimed line.

Nucleic acids or polynucleotides refer to RNA or DNA that is linear or branched, single or double stranded, or a hybrid thereof. The term also encompasses RNA/DNA hybrids. These terms also encompass untranslated sequence located at both the 3′ and 5′ ends of the coding region of the gene: at least about 1000 nucleotides of sequence upstream from the 5′ end of the coding region and at least about 200 nucleotides of sequence downstream from the 3′ end of the coding region of the gene. Less common bases, such as inosine, 5-methylcytosine, 6-methyladenine, hypoxanthine, and others can also be used for antisense, dsRNA, and ribozyme pairing. For example, polynucleotides that contain C-5 propyne analogues of uridine and cytidine have been shown to bind RNA with high affinity and to be potent antisense inhibitors of gene expression. Other modifications, such as modification to the phosphodiester backbone, or the 2′-hydroxy in the ribose sugar group of the RNA can also be made. The antisense polynucleotides and ribozymes can consist entirely of ribonucleotides, or can contain mixed ribonucleotides and deoxyribonucleotides. The polynucleotides of the invention may be produced by any means, including genomic preparations, cDNA preparations, in vitro synthesis, RT-PCR, and in vitro or in vivo transcription.

Plant transformation involves the construction of an expression vector that will function in plant cells. Such a vector comprises DNA comprising a gene under control of, or operatively linked to, a regulatory element (for example, a promoter). The expression vector may contain one or more such operably linked gene/regulatory element combinations. The vector(s) may be in the form of a plasmid, and can be used alone or in combination with other plasmids, to provide transformed begonia plants using transformation methods as described below to incorporate transgenes into the genetic material of the begonia plant(s).

Expression Vectors for Begonia Transformation: Marker Genes

Expression vectors include at least one genetic marker, operably linked to a regulatory element (for example, a promoter) that allows transformed cells containing the marker to be either recovered by negative selection, i.e., inhibiting growth of cells that do not contain the selectable marker gene, or by positive selection, i.e., screening for the product encoded by the genetic marker. Many commonly used selectable marker genes for plant transformation are well known in the transformation arts, and include, for example, genes that code for enzymes that metabolically detoxify a selective chemical agent which may be an antibiotic or an herbicide, or genes that encode an altered target which is insensitive to the inhibitor. A few positive selection methods are also known in the art.

One commonly used selectable marker gene for plant transformation is the neomycin phosphotransferase II (nptII) gene, isolated from transposon Tn5, which when placed under the control of plant regulatory signals confers resistance to kanamycin. Fraley, et al., PNAS, 80:4803 (1983). Another commonly used selectable marker gene is the hygromycin phosphotransferase gene which confers resistance to the antibiotic hygromycin. Vanden Elzen, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 5:299 (1985).

Additional selectable marker genes of bacterial origin that confer resistance to antibiotics include gentamycin acetyl transferase, streptomycin phosphotransferase, aminoglycoside-3′-adenyl transferase, the bleomycin resistance determinant. Hayford, et al., Plant Physiol., 86:1216 (1988); Jones, et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 210:86 (1987); Svab, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 14:197 (1990); Hille, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 7:171 (1986). Other selectable marker genes confer resistance to herbicides such as glyphosate, glufosinate, or bromoxynil. Comai, et al., Nature, 317:741-744 (1985); Gordon-Kamm, et al., Plant Cell, 2:603-618 (1990); and Stalker, et al., Science, 242:419-423 (1988).

Selectable marker genes for plant transformation that are not of bacterial origin include, for example, mouse dihydrofolate reductase, plant 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase, and plant acetolactate synthase. Eichholtz, et al., Somatic Cell Mol. Genet., 13:67 (1987); Shah, et al., Science, 233:478 (1986); and Charest, et al., Plant Cell Rep., 8:643 (1990).

Another class of marker genes for plant transformation requires screening of presumptively transformed plant cells rather than direct genetic selection of transformed cells for resistance to a toxic substance such as an antibiotic. These genes are particularly useful to quantify or visualize the spatial pattern of expression of a gene in specific tissues and are frequently referred to as reporter genes because they can be fused to a gene or gene regulatory sequence for the investigation of gene expression. Commonly used genes for screening presumptively transformed cells include α-glucuronidase (GUS), α-galactosidase, luciferase and chloramphenicol, acetyltransferase. Jefferson, R. A., Plant Mol. Biol., 5:387 (1987); Teeri, et al., EMBO J., 8:343 (1989); Koncz, et al., PNAS, 84:131 (1987); and DeBlock, et al., EMBO J., 3:1681 (1984).

In vivo methods for visualizing GUS activity that do not require destruction of plant tissues are available. Molecular Probes, Publication 2908, IMAGENE GREEN, pp. 1-4 (1993) and Naleway, et al., J. Cell Biol., 115:151a (1991). However, these in vivo methods for visualizing GUS activity have not proven useful for recovery of transformed cells because of low sensitivity, high fluorescent backgrounds, and limitations associated with the use of luciferase genes as selectable markers.

More recently, a gene encoding Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) has been utilized as a marker for gene expression in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Chalfie, et al., Science, 263:802 (1994). GFP and mutants of GFP may be used as screenable markers.

Expression Vectors for Begonia Transformation: Promoters

Genes included in expression vectors must be driven by a nucleotide sequence comprising a regulatory element (for example, a promoter). Several types of promoters are now well known in the transformation arts, as are other regulatory elements that can be used alone or in combination with promoters.

As used herein, “promoter” includes reference to a region of DNA upstream from the start of transcription and involved in recognition and binding of RNA polymerase and other proteins to initiate transcription. A “plant promoter” is a promoter capable of initiating transcription in plant cells. Examples of promoters under developmental control include promoters that preferentially initiate transcription in certain tissues, such as leaves, roots, seeds, fibers, xylem vessels, tracheids, or sclerenchyma. Such promoters are referred to as “tissue-preferred.” Promoters which initiate transcription only in certain tissue are referred to as “tissue-specific.” A “cell type” specific promoter primarily drives expression in certain cell types in one or more organs, for example, vascular cells in roots or leaves. An “inducible” promoter is a promoter which is under environmental control. Examples of environmental conditions that may effect transcription by inducible promoters include anaerobic conditions or the presence of light. Tissue-specific, tissue-preferred, cell type specific, and inducible promoters constitute the class of “non-constitutive” promoters. A “constitutive” promoter is a promoter which is active under most environmental conditions.

A. Inducible Promoters:

An inducible promoter is operably linked to a gene for expression in begonia. Optionally, the inducible promoter is operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequence which is operably linked to a gene for expression in begonia. With an inducible promoter, the rate of transcription increases in response to an inducing agent.

Any inducible promoter can be used in the instant invention. See Ward, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 22:361-366 (1993). Exemplary inducible promoters include, but are not limited to, that from the ACEI system which responds to copper (Meft, et al., PNAS, 90:4567-4571 (1993)); In2 gene from maize which responds to benzenesulfonamide herbicide safeners (Hershey, et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 227:229-237 (1991) and Gatz, et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 243:32-38 (1994)) or Tet repressor from Tn10 (Gatz, et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 227:229-237 (1991)). A particularly preferred inducible promoter is a promoter that responds to an inducing agent to which plants do not normally respond. An exemplary inducible promoter is the inducible promoter from a steroid hormone gene, the transcriptional activity of which is induced by a glucocorticosteroid hormone. Schena, et al., PNAS, 88:0421 (1991).

B. Constitutive Promoters:

A constitutive promoter is operably linked to a gene for expression in begonia or the constitutive promoter is operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequence which is operably linked to a gene for expression in begonia.

Many different constitutive promoters can be utilized in the instant invention. Exemplary constitutive promoters include, but are not limited to, the promoters from plant viruses such as the 35S promoter from CaMV (Odell, et al., Nature, 313:810-812 (1985)) and the promoters from such genes as rice actin (McElroy, et al., Plant Cell, 2:163-171 (1990)); ubiquitin (Christensen, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 12:619-632 (1989) and Christensen, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 18:675-689 (1992)); pEMU (Last, et al., Theor. Appl. Genet., 81:581-588 (1991)); MAS (Velten, et al., EMBO J., 3:2723-2730 (1984)) and maize H3 histone (Lepetit, et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 231:276-285 (1992) and Atanassova, et al., Plant J., 2 (3):291-300 (1992)). The ALS promoter, Xba1/Ncol fragment 5′ to the Brassica napus ALS3 structural gene (or a nucleotide sequence similarity to said Xba1/Ncol fragment), represents a particularly useful constitutive promoter. See PCT Application No. WO 96/30530.

C. Tissue-Specific or Tissue-Preferred Promoters:

A tissue-specific promoter is operably linked to a gene for expression in begonia. Optionally, the tissue-specific promoter is operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequence which is operably linked to a gene for expression in begonia. Plants transformed with a gene of interest operably linked to a tissue-specific promoter produce the protein product of the transgene exclusively, or preferentially, in a specific tissue.

Any tissue-specific or tissue-preferred promoter can be utilized in the instant invention. Exemplary tissue-specific or tissue-preferred promoters include, but are not limited to, a root-preferred promoter, such as that from the phaseolin gene (Murai, et al., Science, 23:476-482 (1983) and Sengupta-Gopalan, et al., PNAS, 82:3320-3324 (1985)); a leaf-specific and light-induced promoter such as that from cab or rubisco (Simpson, et al., EMBO J., 4(11):2723-2729 (1985) and Timko, et al., Nature, 318:579-582 (1985)); an anther-specific promoter such as that from LAT52 (Twell, et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 217:240-245 (1989)); a pollen-specific promoter such as that from Zml3 (Guerrero, et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 244:161-168 (1993)) or a microspore-preferred promoter such as that from apg (Twell, et al., Sex. Plant Reprod., 6:217-224 (1993)).

Signal Sequences for Targeting Proteins to Subcellular Compartments

Transport of protein produced by transgenes to a subcellular compartment such as the chloroplast, vacuole, peroxisome, glyoxysome, cell wall, or mitochondrion, or for secretion into the apoplast, is accomplished by means of operably linking the nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequence to the 5′ and/or 3′ region of a gene encoding the protein of interest. Targeting sequences at the 5′ and/or 3′ end of the structural gene may determine, during protein synthesis and processing, where the encoded protein is ultimately compartmentalized.

The presence of a signal sequence directs a polypeptide to either an intracellular organelle or subcellular compartment or for secretion to the apoplast. Many signal sequences are known in the art. See, for example, Becker, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 20:49 (1992); Close, P. S., Master's Thesis, Iowa State University (1993); Knox, C., et al., “Structure and Organization of Two Divergent Alpha-Amylase Genes from Barley,” Plant Mol. Biol., 9:3-17 (1987); Lerner, et al., Plant Physiol., 91:124-129 (1989); Fontes, et al., Plant Cell, 3:483-496 (1991); Matsuoka, et al., PNAS, 88:834 (1991); Gould, et al., J. Cell. Biol., 108:1657 (1989); Creissen, et al., Plant J., 2:129 (1991); Kalderon, et al. A short amino acid sequence able to specify nuclear location, Cell, 39:499-509 (1984); and Steifel, et al., Expression of a maize cell wall hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein gene in early leaf and root vascular differentiation, Plant Cell, 2:785-793 (1990).

Foreign Protein Genes and Agronomic Genes

With transgenic plants according to the present invention, a foreign protein can be produced in commercial quantities. Thus, techniques for the selection and propagation of transformed plants, which are well understood in the art, yield a plurality of transgenic plants which are harvested in a conventional manner, and a foreign protein then can be extracted from a tissue of interest or from total biomass. Protein extraction from plant biomass can be accomplished by known methods which are discussed, for example, by Heney and Orr, Anal. Biochem., 114:92-6 (1981).

According to a preferred embodiment, the transgenic plant provided for commercial production of foreign protein is begonia. In another preferred embodiment, the biomass of interest is seed. For the relatively small number of transgenic plants that show higher levels of expression, a genetic map can be generated, primarily via conventional RFLP, PCR, and SSR analysis, which identifies the approximate chromosomal location of the integrated DNA molecule. For exemplary methodologies in this regard, see Methods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Glick and Thompson Eds., 269:284, CRC Press, Boca Raton (1993). Map information concerning chromosomal location is useful for proprietary protection of a subject transgenic plant. If unauthorized propagation is undertaken and crosses made with other germplasm, the map of the integration region can be compared to similar maps for suspect plants, to determine if the latter have a common parentage with the subject plant. Map comparisons would involve hybridizations, RFLP, PCR, SSR, and sequencing, all of which are conventional techniques.

Likewise, by means of the present invention, agronomic genes can be expressed in transformed plants. More particularly, plants can be genetically engineered to express various phenotypes of agronomic interest. Exemplary genes implicated in this regard include, but are not limited to, those categorized below:

A. Genes That Confer Resistance to Pests or Disease and That Encode:

1. Plant disease resistance genes. Plant defenses are often activated by specific interaction between the product of a disease resistance gene (R) in the plant and the product of a corresponding avirulence (Avr) gene in the pathogen. A plant line can be transformed with a cloned resistance gene to engineer plants that are resistant to specific pathogen strains. See, for example, Jones, et al., Science, 266:789 (1994) (cloning of the tomato Cf-9 gene for resistance to Cladosporium fulvum); Martin, et al., Science, 262:1432 (1993) (tomato Pto gene for resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato encodes a protein kinase); and Mindrinos, et al., Cell, 78:1089 (1994) (Arabidopsis RSP2 gene for resistance to Pseudomonas syringae).

2. A Bacillus thuringiensis protein, a derivative thereof, or a synthetic polypeptide modeled thereon. See, for example, Geiser, et al., Gene, 48:109 (1986), who disclose the cloning and nucleotide sequence of a Bt δ-endotoxin gene. Moreover, DNA molecules encoding δ-endotoxin genes can be purchased from American Type Culture Collection, Manassas, Va., for example, under ATCC Accession Nos. 40098, 67136, 31995, and 31998.

3. A lectin. See, for example, the disclosure by Van Damme, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 24:25 (1994), who disclose the nucleotide sequences of several Clivia miniata mannose-binding lectin genes.

4. A vitamin-binding protein such as avidin. See PCT Application No. US 93/06487, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. The application teaches the use of avidin and avidin homologues as larvicides against insect pests.

5. An enzyme inhibitor, for example, a protease or proteinase inhibitor, or an amylase inhibitor. See, for example, Abe, et al., J. Biol. Chem., 262:16793 (1987) (nucleotide sequence of rice cysteine proteinase inhibitor); Huub, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 21:985 (1993) (nucleotide sequence of cDNA encoding tobacco proteinase inhibitor I); and Sumitani, et al., Biosci. Biotech. Biochem., 57:1243 (1993) (nucleotide sequence of Streptomyces nitrosporeus α-amylase inhibitor).

6. An insect-specific hormone or pheromone, such as an ecdysteroid and juvenile hormone, a variant thereof, a mimetic based thereon, or an antagonist or agonist thereof. See, for example, the disclosure by Hammock, et al., Nature, 344:458 (1990), of baculovirus expression of cloned juvenile hormone esterase, an inactivator of juvenile hormone.

7. An insect-specific peptide or neuropeptide which, upon expression, disrupts the physiology of the affected pest. For example, see the disclosures of Regan, J. Biol. Chem., 269:9 (1994) (expression cloning yields DNA coding for insect diuretic hormone receptor) and Pratt, et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm., 163:1243 (1989) (an allostatin is identified in Diploptera puntata). See also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,317 to Tomalski, et al., who disclose genes encoding insect-specific, paralytic neurotoxins.

8. An insect-specific venom produced in nature, by a snake, a wasp, etc. For example, see Pang, et al., Gene, 116:165 (1992), for disclosure of heterologous expression in plants of a gene coding for a scorpion insectotoxic peptide.

9. An enzyme responsible for a hyper-accumulation of a monoterpene, a sesquiterpene, a steroid, hydroxamic acid, a phenylpropanoid derivative, or another non-protein molecule with insecticidal activity.

10. An enzyme involved in the modification, including the post-translational modification, of a biologically active molecule; for example, a glycolytic enzyme, a proteolytic enzyme, a lipolytic enzyme, a nuclease, a cyclase, a transaminase, an esterase, a hydrolase, a phosphatase, a kinase, a phosphorylase, a polymerase, an elastase, a chitinase, and a glucanase, whether natural or synthetic. See PCT Application No. WO 93/02197 in the name of Scott, et al., which discloses the nucleotide sequence of a callase gene. DNA molecules which contain chitinase-encoding sequences can be obtained, for example, from the ATCC under Accession Nos. 39637 and 67152. See also, Kramer, et al., Insect Biochem. Mol. Biol., 23:691 (1993), who teach the nucleotide sequence of a cDNA encoding tobacco hornworm chitinase, and Kawalleck, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 21:673 (1993), who provide the nucleotide sequence of the parsley ubi4-2 polyubiquitin gene.

11. A molecule that stimulates signal transduction. For example, see the disclosure by Botella, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 24:757 (1994), of nucleotide sequences for mung bean calmodulin cDNA clones, and Griess, et al., Plant Physiol., 104:1467 (1994), who provide the nucleotide sequence of a maize calmodulin cDNA clone.

12. A hydrophobic moment peptide. See PCT Application No. WO 95/16776 (disclosure of peptide derivatives of tachyplesin which inhibit fungal plant pathogens) and PCT Application No. WO 95/18855 (teaches synthetic antimicrobial peptides that confer disease resistance), the respective contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

13. A membrane permease, a channel former, or a channel blocker. For example, see the disclosure of Jaynes, et al., Plant Sci., 89:43 (1993), of heterologous expression of a cecropin-β, lytic peptide analog to render transgenic tobacco plants resistant to Pseudomonas solanacearum.

14. A viral-invasive protein or a complex toxin derived therefrom. For example, the accumulation of viral coat proteins in transformed plant cells imparts resistance to viral infection and/or disease development effected by the virus from which the coat protein gene is derived, as well as by related viruses. See Beachy, et al., Ann. Rev. Phytopathol., 28:451 (1990). Coat protein-mediated resistance has been conferred upon transformed plants against alfalfa mosaic virus, cucumber mosaic virus, tobacco streak virus, potato virus X, potato virus Y, tobacco etch virus, tobacco rattle virus, and tobacco mosaic virus. Id.

15. An insect-specific antibody or an immunotoxin derived therefrom. Thus, an antibody targeted to a critical metabolic function in the insect gut would inactivate an affected enzyme, killing the insect. See Taylor, et al., Abstract #497, Seventh Int'l Symposium on Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, Edinburgh, Scotland (1994) (enzymatic inactivation in transgenic tobacco via production of single-chain antibody fragments).

16. A virus-specific antibody. See, for example, Tavladoraki, et al., Nature, 366:469 (1993), who show that transgenic plants expressing recombinant antibody genes are protected from virus attack.

17. A developmental-arrestive protein produced in nature by a pathogen or a parasite. Thus, fungal endo-α-1,4-D-polygalacturonases facilitate fungal colonization and plant nutrient released by solubilizing plant cell wall homo-α-1,4-D-galacturonase. See Lamb, et al., Bio/technology, 10:1436 (1992). The cloning and characterization of a gene which encodes a bean endopolygalacturonase-inhibiting protein is described by Toubart, et al., Plant J., 2:367 (1992).

18. A developmental-arrestive protein produced in nature by a plant. For example, Logemann, et al., Bio/technology, 10:305 (1992), have shown that transgenic plants expressing the barley ribosome-inactivating gene have an increased resistance to fungal disease.

Any of the above listed disease or pest resistance genes (1-18) can be introduced into the claimed hybrid begonia through a variety of means including but not limited to transformation and crossing.

B. Genes that Confer Resistance to an Herbicide:

1. An herbicide that inhibits the growing point or meristem, such as an imidazolinone or a sulfonylurea. Exemplary genes in this category code for mutant ALS and AHAS enzyme as described, for example, by Lee, et al., EMBO J., 7:1241 (1988) and Miki, et al., Theor. Appl. Genet., 80:449 (1990), respectively.

2. Glyphosate (resistance conferred by mutant 5-enolpyruvlshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) and aroA genes, respectively) and other phosphono compounds, such as glufosinate (phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (PAT), dicamba and Streptomyces hygroscopicus phosphinothricin-acetyl transferase PAT bar genes), and pyridinoxy or phenoxy proprionic acids and cyclohexones (ACCase inhibitor-encoding genes). See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,835 to Shah, et al., which discloses the nucleotide sequence of a form of EPSPS which can confer glyphosate resistance. A DNA molecule encoding a mutant aroA gene can be obtained under ATCC Accession No. 39256, and the nucleotide sequence of the mutant gene is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,061 to Comai. See also, Umaballava-Mobapathie in Transgenic Research, 8:1, 33-44 (1999) that discloses Lactuca sativa resistant to glufosinate. European Patent Application No. 0 333 033 to Kumada, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,374 to Goodman, et al., disclose nucleotide sequences of glutamine synthetase genes which confer resistance to herbicides, such as L-phosphinothricin. The nucleotide sequence of a phosphinothricin-acetyl-transferase gene is provided in European Application No. 0 242 246 to Leemans, et al. DeGreef, et al., Bio/technology, 7:61 (1989), describe the production of transgenic plants that express chimeric bar genes coding for phosphinothricin acetyl transferase activity. Exemplary of genes conferring resistance to phenoxy proprionic acids and cyclohexones, such as sethoxydim and haloxyfop, are the Accl-S1, Accl-S2, and Accl-S3 genes described by Marshall, et al., Theor. Appl. Genet., 83:435 (1992).

3. An herbicide that inhibits photosynthesis, such as a triazine (psbA and gs+ genes) and a benzonitrile (nitrilase gene). Przibilla, et al., Plant Cell, 3:169 (1991), describe the transformation of Chlamydomonas with plasmids encoding mutant psbA genes. Nucleotide sequences for nitrilase genes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,648 to Stalker, and DNA molecules containing these genes are available under ATCC Accession Nos. 53435, 67441, and 67442. Cloning and expression of DNA coding for a glutathione S-transferase is described by Hayes, et al., Biochem. J., 285:173 (1992).

4. Acetohydroxy acid synthase, which has been found to make plants that express this enzyme resistant to multiple types of herbicides, has been introduced into a variety of plants. See Hattori, et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 246:419 (1995). Other genes that confer tolerance to herbicides include a gene encoding a chimeric protein of rat cytochrome P4507A1 and yeast NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (Shiota, et al., Plant Physiol., 106:17 (1994)), genes for glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase (Aono, et al., Plant Cell Physiol., 36:1687 (1995)), and genes for various phosphotransferases (Datta, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 20:619 (1992)).

5. Protoporphyrinogen oxidase (protox) is necessary for the production of chlorophyll, which is necessary for all plant survival. The protox enzyme serves as the target for a variety of herbicidal compounds. These herbicides also inhibit growth of all the different species of plants present, causing their total destruction. The development of plants containing altered protox activity which are resistant to these herbicides are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,288,306, 6,282,837, 5,767,373, and International Publication WO 01/12825.

Any of the above listed herbicide genes (1-5) can be introduced into the claimed hybrid begonia through a variety of means including, but not limited to, transformation and crossing.

C. Genes that Confer or Contribute to a Value-Added Trait, Such as:

1. Increased iron content of the begonia, for example, by introducing into a plant a soybean ferritin gene as described in Goto, et al., Acta Horticulturae., 521, 101-109 (2000).

2. Decreased nitrate content of leaves, for example, by introducing into a begonia a gene coding for a nitrate reductase. See, for example, Curtis, et al., Plant Cell Rep., 18:11, 889-896 (1999).

3. Modified fatty acid metabolism, for example, by introducing into a plant an antisense gene of stearyl-ACP desaturase to increase stearic acid content of the plant. See Knultzon, et al., PNAS, 89:2625 (1992).

4. Modified carbohydrate composition effected, for example, by introducing into plants a gene coding for an enzyme that alters the branching pattern of starch. See Shiroza, et al., J. Bacteriol., 170:810 (1988) (nucleotide sequence of Streptococcus mutants fructosyltransferase gene); Steinmetz, et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 20:220 (1985) (nucleotide sequence of Bacillus subtilis levansucrase gene); Pen, et al., Bio/technology, 10:292 (1992) (production of transgenic plants that express Bacillus licheniformis α-amylase); Elliot, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 21:515 (1993) (nucleotide sequences of tomato invertase genes); Søgaard, et al., J. Biol. Chem., 268:22480 (1993) (site-directed mutagenesis of barley α-amylase gene); and Fisher, et al., Plant Physiol., 102:1045 (1993) (maize endosperm starch branching enzyme II).

D. Genes that Control Male-Sterility:

1. Introduction of a deacetylase gene under the control of a tapetum-specific promoter and with the application of the chemical N-Ac-PPT. See International Publication WO 01/29237.

2. Introduction of various stamen-specific promoters. See International Publications WO 92/13956 and WO 92/13957.

3. Introduction of the barnase and the barstar genes. See Paul, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 19:611-622 (1992).

For additional examples of nuclear male and female sterility systems and genes, see also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,859,341, 6,297,426, 5,478,369, 5,824,524, 5,850,014 and 6,265,640. See also Hanson, Maureen R., et. al., (2004) “Interactions of Mitochondrial and Nuclear Genes That Affect Male Gametophyte Development” Plant Cell. 16:S154-S169, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Methods for Begonia Transformation

Numerous methods for plant transformation have been developed, including biological and physical, plant transformation protocols. See, for example, Miki, et al., “Procedures for Introducing Foreign DNA into Plants” in Methods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Glick and Thompson Eds., CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, pp. 67-88 (1993). In addition, expression vectors and in vitro culture methods for plant cell or tissue transformation and regeneration of plants are available. See, for example, Gruber, et al., “Vectors for Plant Transformation” in Methods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Glick and Thompson Eds., CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, pp. 89-119 (1993).

A. Agrobacterium-Mediated Transformation:

One method for introducing an expression vector into plants is based on the natural transformation system of Agrobacterium. See, for example, Horsch, et al., Science, 227:1229 (1985); Curtis, et al., Journal of Experimental Botany, 45:279, 1441-1449 (1994); Tones, et al., Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture, 34:3, 279-285 (1993); and Dinant, et al., Molecular Breeding, 3:1, 75-86 (1997). A. tumefaciens and A. rhizogenes are plant pathogenic soil bacteria which genetically transform plant cells. The Ti and Ri plasmids of A. tumefaciens and A. rhizogenes, respectively, carry genes responsible for genetic transformation of the plant. See, for example, Kado, C. I., Crit. Rev. Plant Sci., 10:1 (1991). Descriptions of Agrobacterium vector systems and methods for Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer are provided by Gruber, et al., supra, Miki, et al., supra, and Moloney, et al., Plant Cell Rep., 8:238 (1989). See also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,616 issued Jan. 7, 1997.

B. Direct Gene Transfer:

Several methods of plant transformation collectively referred to as direct gene transfer have been developed as an alternative to Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. A generally applicable method of plant transformation is microprojectile-mediated transformation wherein DNA is carried on the surface of microprojectiles measuring 1 μm to 4 μm. The expression vector is introduced into plant tissues with a biolistic device that accelerates the microprojectiles to speeds of 300 m/s to 600 m/s which is sufficient to penetrate plant cell walls and membranes. Russell, D. R., et al., Plant Cell Rep., 12 (3, January), 165-169 (1993); Aragao, F. J. L., et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 20 (2, October), 357-359 (1992); Aragao, F. J. L., et al., Plant Cell Rep., 12 (9, July), 483-490 (1993); Aragao, Theor. Appl. Genet., 93:142-150 (1996); Kim, J Minamikawa, T., Plant Sci., 117:131-138 (1996); Sanford, et al., Part. Sci. Technol., 5:27 (1987); Sanford, J. C., Trends Biotech., 6:299 (1988); Klein, et al., Bio/technology, 6:559-563 (1988); Sanford, J. C., Physiol. Plant, 7:206 (1990); Klein, et al., Bio/technology, 10:268 (1992).

Another method for physical delivery of DNA to plants is sonication of target cells. Zhang, et al., Bio/technology, 9:996 (1991). Alternatively, liposome and spheroplast 1600-08T1 have been used to introduce expression vectors into plants. Deshayes, et al., EMBO J., 4:2731 (1985) and Christou, et al., PNAS, 84:3962 (1987). Direct uptake of DNA into protoplasts using CaCl₂ precipitation, polyvinyl alcohol, or poly-L-ornithine has also been reported. Hain, et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 199:161 (1985) and Draper, et al., Plant Cell Physiol., 23:451 (1982). Electroporation of protoplasts and whole cells and tissues have also been described. Saker, M., Kuhne, T., Biologia Plantarum, 40(4):507-514 (1997/98); Donn, et al., In Abstracts of VIIth International Congress on Plant Cell and Tissue Culture IAPTC, A2-38, p. 53 (1990); D'Halluin, et al., Plant Cell, 4:1495-1505 (1992); and Spencer, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 24:51-61 (1994). See also Chupean, et al., Bio/technology, 7:5, 503-508 (1989).

Additional methods include, but are not limited to, expression vectors introduced into plant tissues using a direct gene transfer method, such as microprojectile-mediated delivery, DNA injection, electroporation, and the like. More preferably, expression vectors are introduced into plant tissues by using either microprojectile-mediated delivery with a biolistic device or by using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transformed plants obtained with the protoplasm of the invention are intended to be within the scope of this invention.

Following transformation of begonia target tissues, expression of the above-described selectable marker genes allows for preferential selection of transformed cells, tissues and/or plants, using regeneration and selection methods now well known in the art.

The foregoing methods for transformation would typically be used for producing a transgenic line. The transgenic line could then be crossed with another (non-transformed or transformed) line in order to produce a new transgenic begonia line. Alternatively, a genetic trait which has been engineered into a particular hybrid begonia using the foregoing transformation techniques could be introduced into another line using traditional backcrossing techniques that are well known in the plant breeding arts. For example, a backcrossing approach could be used to move an engineered trait from a public, non-elite inbred line into an elite inbred line, or from an inbred line containing a foreign gene in its genome into an inbred line or lines which do not contain that gene. As used herein, “crossing” can refer to a simple X by Y cross, or the process of backcrossing, depending on the context.

Gene Conversions

When the term “begonia plant” is used in the context of the present invention, this also includes any gene conversions of that variety. The term “gene converted plant” as used herein refers to those begonia plants which are developed by backcrossing, genetic engineering, or mutation, wherein essentially all of the desired morphological and physiological characteristics of a variety are recovered in addition to the one or more genes transferred into the variety via the backcrossing technique, genetic engineering, or mutation. Backcrossing methods can be used with the present invention to improve or introduce a characteristic into the variety. The term “backcrossing” as used herein refers to the repeated crossing of a hybrid progeny back to the recurrent parent, i.e., backcrossing 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or more times to the recurrent parent. The parental begonia plant which contributes the gene for the desired characteristic is termed the “nonrecurrent” or “donor parent.” This terminology refers to the fact that the nonrecurrent parent is used one time in the backcross protocol and therefore does not recur. The parental begonia plant to which the gene or genes from the nonrecurrent parent are transferred is known as the recurrent parent as it is used for several rounds in the backcrossing protocol. Poehlman & Sleper (1994) and Fehr (1993). In a typical backcross protocol, the original variety of interest (recurrent parent) is crossed to a second variety (nonrecurrent parent) that carries the gene of interest to be transferred. The resulting progeny from this cross are then crossed again to the recurrent parent and the process is repeated until a begonia plant is obtained wherein essentially all of the desired morphological and physiological characteristics of the recurrent parent are recovered in the converted plant, in addition to the transferred gene from the nonrecurrent parent.

The selection of a suitable recurrent parent is an important step for a successful backcrossing procedure. The goal of a backcross protocol is to alter or substitute a trait or characteristic in the original line. To accomplish this, a gene of the recurrent cultivar is modified or substituted with the desired gene from the nonrecurrent parent, while retaining essentially all of the rest of the desired genetic, and therefore the desired physiological and morphological characteristics of the original line. The choice of the particular nonrecurrent parent will depend on the purpose of the backcross. One of the major purposes is to add some commercially desirable, agronomically important trait to the plant. The exact backcrossing protocol will depend on the characteristic or trait being altered to determine an appropriate testing protocol. Although backcrossing methods are simplified when the characteristic being transferred is a dominant allele, a recessive allele may also be transferred. In this instance it may be necessary to introduce a test of the progeny to determine if the desired characteristic has been successfully transferred.

Many gene traits have been identified that are not regularly selected in the development of a new line but that can be improved by backcrossing techniques. Gene traits may or may not be transgenic. Examples of these traits include, but are not limited to, male sterility, modified fatty acid metabolism, modified carbohydrate metabolism, herbicide resistance, resistance for bacterial, fungal, or viral disease, insect resistance, enhanced nutritional quality, industrial usage, yield stability, and yield enhancement. These genes are generally inherited through the nucleus. Several of these gene traits are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,777,196, 5,948,957, and 5,969,212, the disclosures of which are specifically hereby incorporated by reference.

Tissue Culture

Further reproduction of the variety can occur by tissue culture and regeneration. Tissue culture of various tissues of begonia and regeneration of plants therefrom is well known and widely published. For example, reference may be had to Rout et al., Biotechnology Advances, 24, 531-560 (2006); Nada et al., HortScience, 46(5), 759-764 (2011); Mendi et al., African Journal of Biotechnology, 8(9), 1860-1863 (2009); Teng, et al., HortScience, 27:9, 1030-1032 (1992); Teng, et al., HortScience, 28:6, 669-1671 (1993); Webb, et al., Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture, 38:1, 77-79 (1994); and Ibrahim, et al., Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture, 28(2), 139-145 (1992). It is clear from the literature that the state of the art is such that these methods of obtaining plants are routinely used and have a high rate of success. Thus, another aspect of this invention is to provide cells which upon growth and differentiation produce begonia plants having the physiological and morphological characteristics of variety 1600-08T1.

As used herein, the term “tissue culture” indicates a composition comprising isolated cells of the same or a different type or a collection of such cells organized into parts of a plant. Exemplary types of tissue cultures are protoplasts, calli, meristematic cells, and plant cells that can generate tissue culture that are intact in plants or parts of plants, such as leaves, pollen, embryos, roots, root tips, anthers, pistils, flowers, seeds, petioles, suckers, and the like. Means for preparing and maintaining plant tissue culture are well known in the art. By way of example, a tissue culture comprising organs has been used to produce regenerated plants. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,959,185, 5,973,234, and 5,977,445 describe certain techniques, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Additional Breeding Methods

This invention also is directed to methods for producing a begonia plant by crossing a first parent begonia plant with a second parent begonia plant wherein the first or second parent begonia plant is a begonia plant of hybrid begonia 1600-08T1. Further, both first and second parent begonia plants can come from hybrid begonia 1600-08T1. Thus, any such methods using hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 are part of this invention: selfing, backcrosses, hybrid production, crosses to populations, and the like. All plants produced using hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 as at least one parent are within the scope of this invention, including those developed from cultivars derived from hybrid begonia 1600-08T1. Advantageously, this hybrid begonia could be used in crosses with other, different, begonia plants to produce the first generation (F₁) begonia hybrid seeds and plants with superior characteristics. The cultivar of the invention can also be used for transformation where exogenous genes are introduced and expressed by the cultivar of the invention. Genetic variants created either through traditional breeding methods using hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 or through transformation of hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 by any of a number of protocols known to those of skill in the art are intended to be within the scope of this invention.

The following describes breeding methods that may be used with hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 in the development of further begonia plants. One such embodiment is a method for developing hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 progeny begonia plants in a begonia plant breeding program comprising: obtaining the begonia plant, or a part thereof, of hybrid begonia 1600-08T1, utilizing said plant or plant part as a source of breeding material, and selecting a hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 progeny plant with molecular markers in common with hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 and/or with morphological and/or physiological characteristics selected from the characteristics listed in Table 1. Breeding steps that may be used in the begonia plant breeding program include pedigree breeding, backcrossing, mutation breeding, and recurrent selection. In conjunction with these steps, techniques such as RFLP-enhanced selection, genetic marker enhanced selection (for example, SSR markers), and the making of double haploids may be utilized.

Another method involves producing a population of hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 progeny begonia plants, comprising crossing hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 with another begonia plant, thereby producing a population of begonia plants, which, on average, derive 50% of their alleles from hybrid begonia 1600-08T1. A plant of this population may be selected and repeatedly selfed or sibbed with a hybrid begonia resulting from these successive filial generations. One embodiment of this invention is the hybrid begonia produced by this method and that has obtained at least 50% of its alleles from hybrid begonia 1600-08T1.

One of ordinary skill in the art of plant breeding would know how to evaluate the traits of two plant varieties to determine if there is no significant difference between the two traits expressed by those varieties. For example, see Fehr and Walt, Principles of Cultivar Development, pp. 261-286 (1987). Thus the invention includes hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 progeny begonia plants comprising a combination of at least two hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 traits selected from the group consisting of those listed in Table 1, so that said progeny begonia plant is not significantly different for said traits than hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 as determined at the 5% significance level when grown in the same environmental conditions. Using techniques described herein, molecular markers may be used to identify said progeny plant as a hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 progeny plant. Mean trait values may be used to determine whether trait differences are significant, and preferably the traits are measured on plants grown under the same environmental conditions. Once such a variety is developed, its value is substantial since it is important to advance the germplasm base as a whole in order to maintain or improve traits such as yield, disease resistance, pest resistance, and plant performance in extreme environmental conditions.

Progeny of hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 may also be characterized through their filial relationship with hybrid begonia 1600-08T1, as for example, being within a certain number of breeding crosses of hybrid begonia 1600-08T1. A breeding cross is a cross made to introduce new genetics into the progeny, and is distinguished from a cross, such as a self or a sib cross, made to select among existing genetic alleles. The lower the number of breeding crosses in the pedigree, the closer the relationship between hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 and its progeny. For example, progeny produced by the methods described herein may be within 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 breeding crosses of hybrid begonia 1600-08T1.

As used herein, the term “plant” includes plant cells, plant protoplasts, plant cell tissue cultures from which begonia plants can be regenerated, plant calli, plant clumps, and plant cells that are intact in plants or parts of plants, such as leaves, pollen, embryos, cotyledons, hypocotyl, roots, root tips, anthers, pistils, flowers, ovules, seeds, stems, and the like.

Table

The performance of begonia hybrid 1600-08T1 has been evaluated in facilities for greenhouse and outdoor trials in Hannoversch Munden, Germany and Vanhuizen, The Netherlands, and in Watsonville, Calif. and Litchfield Michigan. Begonia hybrid 1600-08T1 was tested in comparison to commercial hybrid begonias as shown in Table 2.

Table 2, column 1 shows the product, column 2 shows the number of days to start of flowering in Germany, column 3 shows the number of days to 60% flowering in Germany, column 4 shows the number of days to 90% flowering in Germany, column 5 shows the number of days to 100% flowering for trials in Germany, column 6 shows the number of days to start of flowering for trials in the United States (California and Michigan), column 7 shows the number of days to 50% flowering in the U.S. and column 8 shows the number of days to 95% flowering in the U.S.

TABLE 2 Germany United States Start to 60% 90% 100% Start to 50% 95% Product flower flower flower flower flower flower flower 1600-08T1 109 118 123 125 88 90 96 1600-05T1 111 121 125 131 78 89 96 Dragon Wing Pink 125 138 >138 >142 85 90 96 Dragon Wing Red 106 >138 >138 >142 85 92 96 Whopper Pink Green Leaf 123 127 129 130 85 90 96 Whopper Red Green Leaf 127 127 128 129 85 91 96 Whopper Pink Dark Leaf 128 128 129 130 86 90 96 Whopper Red Dark Leaf 125 130 133 142 85 91 96 BIG Red Green Leaf 117 122 125 129 84 96 96 BIG Rose Bronze Leaf 116 124 130 133 85 94 94 BIG Red Bronze Leaf 116 126 132 134 86 94 97

In addition to the data shown in Table 2, the trials showed that begonias 1600-08T1 and 1600-05T1 were a little more compact than Whopper Pink Green Leaf, Whopper Red Green Leaf, Whopper Pink Dark Leaf and Whopper Red Dark Leaf, had better flower presentation than Whopper Pink Green Leaf, Whopper Red Green Leaf, Whopper Pink Dark Leaf, Whopper Red Dark Leaf, Dragon Wing Pink and Dragon Wing Red, and were floriferous through the whole season. Dragon Wing Pink had much smaller leaves than begonia 1600-08T1, begonia 1600-05T1 or the BIG products and had flowers that don't present, but look down. Dragon Wing Red had much smaller leaves than begonia 1600-08T1, begonia 1600-05T1 or the BIG products and had flowers that don't present, but look down and also was less floriferous than begonia 1600-08T1, begonia 1600-05T1 or the BIG products. Whopper Pink Green Leaf, Whopper Red Green Leaf, Whopper Pink Dark Leaf and Whopper Red Dark Leaf all had flowers that do not present as well as begonia 1600-08T1, begonia 1600-05T1 or the BIG products because they look down. BIG Red Green Leaf, BIG Rose Bronze Leaf and BIG Red Bronze Leaf were all more compact and had better flower presentation than Whopper Pink Green Leaf, Whopper Red Green Leaf, Whopper Pink Dark Leaf, Whopper Red Dark Leaf, Dragon Wing Pink and Dragon Wing Red, and were floriferous through the whole season.

The use of the terms “a,” “an,” and “the,” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. For example, if the range 10-15 is disclosed, then 11, 12, 13, and 14 are also disclosed. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.

DEPOSIT INFORMATION

A deposit of the hybrid begonia seed of this invention is maintained by Ernst Benary Samenzucht GmbH, Friedrich-Benary-Weg 1, 34346 Hannoversch Minden, Germany. Access to this deposit will be available during the pendency of this application to persons determined by the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks to be entitled thereto under 37 CFR 1.14 and 35 USC §122. Upon allowance of any claims in this application, all restrictions on the availability to the public of the hybrid will be irrevocably removed by affording access to a deposit of at least 2,500 seeds of the same hybrid with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110 or National Collections of Industrial, Food and Marine Bacteria (NCIMB), 23 St Machar Drive, Aberdeen, Scotland, AB24 3RY, United Kingdom.

While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions, and sub-combinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims and claims hereafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions, and sub-combinations as are within their true spirit and scope. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A hybrid begonia seed designated 1600-08T1, wherein a representative sample of seed of said hybrid begonia was deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-______.
 2. A begonia plant, or a part thereof, produced by growing the seed of claim
 1. 3. A begonia plant, or a part thereof, having all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of the begonia plant of claim
 2. 4. A tissue culture produced from protoplasts or cells from the plant of claim 2, wherein said cells or protoplasts are produced from a plant part selected from the group consisting of leaf, pollen, embryo, cotyledon, hypocotyl, meristematic cell root, root tip, pistil, anther, ovule, flower, shoot, stem, seed, and petiole.
 5. A begonia plant regenerated from the tissue culture of claim 4, wherein the plant has all of the morphological and physiological characteristics of hybrid begonia 1600-08T1.
 6. A method for producing a begonia seed, said method comprising crossing two begonia plants and harvesting the resultant begonia seed, wherein at least one begonia plant is the begonia plant of claim
 2. 7. A begonia seed produced by the method of claim
 6. 8. A begonia plant, or a part thereof, produced by growing said seed of claim
 7. 9. The method of claim 6, wherein one of said begonia plants is hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 and the other is transgenic.
 10. A method of producing an herbicide resistant begonia plant, wherein said method comprises introducing a gene conferring herbicide resistance into the plant of claim 2, wherein the gene is selected from the group consisting of glyphosate, sulfonylurea, imidazolinone, dicamba, glufosinate, phenoxy proprionic acid, L-phosphinothricin, cyclohexone, cyclohexanedione, triazine, and benzonitrile.
 11. An herbicide resistant begonia plant produced by the method of claim
 10. 12. A method of producing a pest or insect resistant begonia plant, wherein said method comprises introducing a gene conferring pest or insect resistance into the plant of claim
 2. 13. A pest or insect resistant begonia plant produced by the method of claim
 12. 14. The begonia plant of claim 13, wherein the gene encodes a Bacillus thuringiensis endotoxin.
 15. A method of producing a disease resistant begonia plant, wherein said method comprises introducing a gene conferring disease resistance into the plant of claim
 2. 16. A disease resistant begonia plant produced by the method of claim
 15. 17. A method of producing a begonia plant wherein said method comprises introducing a transgene into the plant of claim
 2. 18. A begonia plant produced by the method of claim
 17. 19. A method of introducing a desired trait into hybrid begonia 1600-08T1, wherein the method comprises: (a) crossing a plant of hybrid begonia 1600-08T1, wherein a representative sample of seed was deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-______, with a plant of another begonia that comprises a desired trait to produce progeny plants, and wherein the desired trait is selected from the group consisting of male sterility, herbicide resistance, insect or pest resistance, modified bolting and resistance to bacterial disease, fungal disease or viral disease; (b) selecting one or more progeny plants that have the desired trait; (c) backcrossing the selected progeny plants with hybrid begonia 1600-08T1 to produce backcross progeny plants; (d) selecting for backcross progeny plants that have the desired trait; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) two or more times in succession to produce selected third or higher backcross progeny plants that comprise the desired trait. 